CinderLavi
by Katina Uchiha
Summary: Cinderella with a twist! Lavi has been enslaved by his evil step family, so why wouldn't he dream of life in the palace? when he meets the Prince, though, his world is turned upside down. Yuvi AllenxLenalee slight TykixLavi and AllenxRoad DISCONTINUED
1. Prologe and The Beginning

**A/N:** okay, this is just a random idea i got today.... man, i really need to stop with all the fics.. i have SO many going on at once... don't expect this to be very long, it's Cinderella with a twist anyway... so, just enjoy the randomness and if at any point, i just never update this again, sorry! most of my Disney fics fall through the roof before i finish...

**DISCLAIMER: **i do NOT own Cinderella, Rodgers and Heimerstein does. i do NOT own D. Gray-Man, Hoshino-sensei does.

~ Prologue ~

Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom lived a young man named Lavi. His mother and father left him in the care of his grandfather, who in that kingdom went by the name of Bookman because of his extensive knowledge of history far and wide. He never heard from his parents and just assumed them for dead.

Eventually, his grandfather remarried to a young woman named Klaud 9, who had two children of her own, Road and Tyki. All three were beautiful of face, but vial and black of heart.

Very often, Bookman was not home. He was out traveling, recording the unrecorded history as people called it. He was always away, much to the dismay of his grandson.

Klaud and her children worked Lavi like a slave in his own home. He was forced to sleep in the tower, the highest point of the house and very far away from any of the more important rooms. He was not able to leave the house until all his chores were done, which took most of the day since he lived in a mansion practically. But, even though Lavi did all this work, the house began to fall into disrepair, since Klaud spent most of the money on her children, getting them the best education, the best clothes, and what not. The little money that was left went to either food for Lavi or the animals.

Sure, the charming redhead had it tough. But every day, he hoped that his grandfather would come back soon. That one thought is all that kept him going…

~ Chapter 1: Beginnings ~

"LAVI!!!"

Lavi awoke with a start. He looked down the long staircase from the tower that leads to the main house. He knew it was Klaud calling him and he groaned. He looked out of the window in his room that had a magnificent view of the castle. How he wished he could live in the castle…

He looked at the clock and noticed that it was far too early for his stepmother to be up. Curious, he dressed quickly and ran down the stairs, taking them several at a time like he always does.

"Lavi! There you are!!" Klaud called when she saw her stepson at the top of the marble steps that lead to the foyer. "I have some important news for you, get down here!"

"Yes, stepmother," Lavi said, running down the steps and into the kitchen. He made breakfast for Klaud as she told him the news.

"Now, as you know, the Prince is returning tomorrow," Klaud began. Lavi nodded. "Well, there will be a grand parade for him on main street today as he comes in and I want Tyki and Road there. Now, they must have something to wear, and I can't get into town today. Now, I need you to go with Tyki and Road into town and get some nice clothes for them, and make sure you don't get into trouble, got it?"

"Yes, stepmother…" Lavi said, setting the breakfast in front of Klaud.

"Good boy," Klaud said, patting Lavi on the head. "Now, go wake them up. And make breakfast for them, boy! And then get to your chores! And make sure they're done before you leave!"

"Yes, stepmother," Lavi said, putting the bowls of porridge in the oven to keep warm.

He walked up the main marble steps and tiptoed to Tyki's room. He knew that the older brother was easier to wake up. So, Lavi carefully opened Tyki's door and walked into the dark room. He stepped up to the bed and gently shook the older man.

"Tyki, Tyki it's time to wake up," Lavi whispered in his stepbrother's ear. He yelped when Tyki jumped up and pinned the redhead to the bed, his arms above his head. "Tyki, what are you doing!"

"Saying good morning to my dear brother," Tyki hissed, licking Lavi's ear.

"Tyki, stop this!" Lavi cried, trying to worm his way out of his brother's grasp.

"And why should I do that?" Tyki asked innocently.

"Because… you're my brother…. That's why!" Lavi said, finally able to get out of Tyki's hold.

"Well, that never stopped me before…" Tyki said blankly

"Dude…" Lavi said, shuddering. "I did NOT need that image stuck in my head!!"

"What image?" Tyki asked, leaning closer to Lavi.

"Nothing, nevermind," Lavi said, walking to the door. "Stepmother wanted to see you, I have breakfast in the oven for you. I'll be down as soon as I wake up Road."

"All right," Tyki said, slapping Lavi's ass as he passed him and walked casually down the stairs.

Lavi squeaked and looked at his stepbrother in shock. Once that had passed, he walked over to Road's room and tentatively knocked on the door.

"Road… it's time to wake up…" Lavi said, remembering what happened that LAST time he tried to go into Road's room. Her crazy cat Lucifer attacked him…

"Hmmm?" Road replied sleepily. "Okay… I'll be down in a minute…."

"But stepmother wanted to talk to you about the Prince's retur—" Lavi sais before the door was slammed open and Road, fully dressed, ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Lavi groaned and followed Road down and into the kitchen again.

"There you are, boy! What took so long?!" Klaud hissed as she looked at her stepson.

"Nothing… It just took a while to wake everyone up…" Lavi said, getting the bowls out of the oven and setting them in front of his siblings.

"Now, as you know, His Majesty is returning tomorrow," Klaud began.

"OF COURSE!!" Road cried, hugging her Prince Plushie. "I'm ONLY the president of his fan club!!"

"I know dear, and you do a fantastic job at it," Klaud said, patting her daughter on the head. "There will be a parade for his return tomorrow and I want you both to be there!"

"I'll be there with the girls, Mother," Road said, resting her head in her hands. "You don't need to worry about me."

"Yes, well, you have nothing to wear for it, dear," Klaud said, looking at her daughter. "I want you two to head into town with Lavi today and find some new cloths for this event!"

"But Mother!" Road cried again, "Lavi doesn't know a THING about fashion!! What if he says I look great in something that makes me look ugly?!"

"He wouldn't de that, would you Lavi?" Klaud asked, hissing said redhead's name. Lavi shook his head violently. "See dear, and besides, Tyki will be going with you."

"Actually, I already had plans with the guys for today," Tyki said, as he poked his porridge. "And as tempting as shopping is, I'll have to decline."

"You'll go with her, Tyki, Klaud said in a very forceful and authorative voice.

"Okay, Mother…: Tyki said, pulling out his cell phone and texting his friends.

"Good, you'll leave as soon as your done with breakfast," Klaud said happily and leaned back in her chair.

* * *

"He did WHAT?!!?" Lavi's best friend, Allen, asked in shock.

"Yeah, he tried to rape me AGAIN!" Lavi complained. He had been able to get his siblings to let him go for the day, after much pestering and annoying, and met up with Allen at their hideout, an old martial arts dojo where Lavi and Allen always came to train.

"Man, you have it rough…" Allen said, shuddering. "Well, Cross isn't exactly a walk in the park either so…"

"Man, wouldn't it be great to live in the palace?" Lavi asked out of no where.

"I guess…" Allen said dreamily, thinking along the same lines as Lavi. "No on to tell you what to do…"

"No chores…"

"No one trying to beat you with a hammer…"

"No evil stepfamily…"

"No freedom."

Lavi and Allen both turned around. Behind them stood a young man, younger then Lavi but older then Allen. He had dark blue, almost black eyes and long black hair that was loose and hanging around his shoulder. He had an irremovable scowl on his face.

"Everyone telling you how to act and what to say. Not being able to go anywhere without many people following you, asking you opinion on this and that. The palace life isn't all it's cracked up to be…" the mysterious man said with a scoff.

"And how would YOU know?" Lavi asked, mad that this person would just show up out of the blue and ruin his dreams.

"I have connections…" the man said, tuning away.

"Hey, it's been a while since I had a good opponent," Lavi said, holding up a sword. "Wanna spar?"

"Why not?" the man said, turning and immediately taking a slash at Lavi.

"WHOA!" Lavi said, jumping back and just missing the blade. "That was a low blow, man! I didn't even say go!"

"On the battle field, you can't wait for go," the man said, lunging forward again and trying to slice Lavi in two, only to have his sword blocked in a stale-mate. "You're pretty good."

"So are you," Lavi said, struggling to keep the stranger back. "I'm Lavi. What's your name?"

"Just call me Yu," the man said, mentally kicking himself for giving out his first name. He hated it when people called him by his first name.

"Well then Yu," Lavi said with a smile, pushing Yu back with all this strength, then jumping back himself, "Let's make this a fair fight."

"I agree," Yu said, a sly grin on his face.

They both lunged at each other at the same time, only to be stopped in mid air, spun around and landing on the other side of the dojo from where they started. They both hit the walls with a resounding THUD. Allen ran over to Lavi to make sure he was all right.

"YU! How dare you!!" the person who stopped them said. He was the master if the dojo, Marie. The blind man picked Yu up by the front of his shirt and pulled him into the air to that they were face to face. "You come back after being away for so long and already you're picking fights with people!"

"They started it!" Yu said, pointing to Lavi. "The redheaded rabbit chalanged me!"

"I don't care!!" Marie screamed. "You could have swallowed your pride and NOT accepted!"

"You know I can't do that!" Yu said as he was put back on the ground. He walked over to Lavi, who was still on the ground, and extended a hand. "Need some help?"

"Thanks," Lavi said as he took Yu's hand and stood up. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Hm? Oh, my father taught me, mostly…" Yu said absently. "Man I really don't want to go home…."

"And why not?" Lavi asked, getting his first good look at the boy. He was wearing clothes that looked very expensive. "You must be of the upper class. Man, I would switch places with you any day! It's my dream to be in the upper class!"

"You don't want to, believe me…" Yu said, looking away. He started to walk out the door when he turned back and said, "Marie-sensei, I'll be back a little later. I need some air."

"Alright, Yu…" Marie said with a worried look on his face. _You're home a day early, Your Majesty. Where will you go for tonight?_

"See ya later, Yu!" Lavi said, waving to the raven-haired man. "Man, he's so cool!"

"If I didn't know any better, Lavi, I'd say you have a crush on this mystery man!" Allen teased, poking Lavi in his side.

"I do not!!" Lavi said, his face turning red.

"Haha! Sure you don't!!"

"I don't!! Now, I better get back before my stepmother decides to kill me…."

"Good luck, Lavi!"

"Thanks! I'll need it too…."

* * *

okay, i put the first chapter and the prologue in the same chapter just for my own sanity....

anyways, R&R like always.... and if yoy have ANY suggestions, i'd love to hear them!!


	2. A Meeting

**A/N:** okay, two updates in ONE day on the SAME story... OMFG!!!! this is EPIC!!! sorry if it's short or long or whatever.... i have NO idea anymore...... ENTER YU KANDA!!! YAYS!!! i THINK i have him OCC at the end, but oh well!! for those of you who don't know, OCC means out of character. i mean, he's MAD nice.... WAIT!!! i NEED to stop before i give it al way!!! just put the freaking disclaimer already!!

**DISCLAIMER:** i do NOT own Cinderella, it is own by Disney and whoever wrote it.. D. Gray-Man is Hoshino-sensei's!!!!

* * *

~Chapter 2~

"LAVI!!!"

Lavi awoke with yet another start as he looked at the giant clock tower. Again, too early for anyone to be up. Then he remembered, today was the day of the Prince's return. Come to think of it, Lavi never really saw the Prince before… If he had read all the fairy tails correctly, then the Prince would come riding in on a white stallion with a huge trumpet fanfare and flags and banners and such…

"LAVI!" This time, it was all of them calling.

Lavi groaned and threw on some clothes and ran down the stairs, exhausted by the time he reached the kitchen. He saw Tyki and Road dressed in the new clothes they got yesterday. Tyki was in a black suit and top hat while Road was wearing a pink, puffy dress with many bows and lace and frills with a wide brimmed pink hat and umbrella. Klaud was wearing a dress of a similar style, except this was deep red and less frilly.

"Well, why are you not dressed?" Klaud asked, flipping some of her blonde hair out of her eyes.

"I am dressed!" Lavi said, getting a swift slap to the face.

"Why are you not dressed in something more appropriate?" Klaud scoffed, blowing on her hand. "Don't tell me you thought that you would show your face in public with US dressed like THAT, did you?"

"I wasn't aware that I was going with you…" Lavi said, rubbing his sore cheek.

"Well, now you know. So go get dressed!" Klaud said, missing slapping Lavi by a few centimeters as he ducked out of the room.

"Man… I can't believe this…" Lavi said, going through his trunk to find his suit. "I can't believe I'm being forced to go see some stuck up rich snob come home… he's just a prince… not like there's anything special about him…"

Lavi checked himself in the mirror. His slightly faded black suit still fit him. He ran a brush though his hair, flattening the fire red locks over his eyes. He adjusted his eye patch and ran back down the stairs.

"I'm ready!" Lavi said as he jumped the last three steps.

"Good, let's go," Klaud said as she opened the front door and walked out of the house, Tyki and Road close in step.

Lavi hung back for a minute to lock the doors before he ran to catch up to his family.

~*~

"_MAKE WAY FOR HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE!"_

Loud cheers were hear all down the main road as the Prince came through the gates on his horse. It was a black Trakehner **(1)** horse with not a spot of any other fur color on him. The horse was trimmed out in gold colored reins and bridle and a pure leather saddle.

But it was the figure in the saddle that caught Lavi's eye. He had seen the pictures of the Prince that Road had, but they did not do justice to the god that was before him. Perfect porcelain skin with not a mark on it; long black hair that shined like the sun that was puled back into a high ponytail, but some of it fell in front of his face like a fringe; this fringe also covered beautiful, deep blue, almost black eyes that revealed nothing. If the eyes were the window to the soul, then his would be made of the darkest colored glass, hidden behind many locked steel doors with combinations that Lavi just had to crack.

Lavi just stared at the Prince, making sure that his mouth didn't hang open. He couldn't pull his eyes away. He could swear that he met this guy somewhere before… but he couldn't place where…

"WE LOVE YOU, PRINCE KANDA!!!" Road and her fan club screamed. Road was so happy that he accidentally pushed Lavi out into the road, and right in the path of the horse.

The horse reared back at the Prince tried to stop it before he crushed the kid. The horse came to a stop as the Prince dismounted and walked over to the redhead and extended his hand.

"Need some help?" the Prince asked.

"Thanks," Lavi said, taking the hand as he stood up. He bowed deeply and said, "I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty."

"Who pushed you?" the Prince asked in a deadpan voice.

"The president of your fan club," Lavi said with a groan. "She's my stepsister."

"Oh, Road? Man, I feel bad for you," the Prince said, rolling his eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah… I'm fine," Lavi said, a bit taken aback at the casualness of the conversation.

"Good," the Prince said, a smirk on his face. "Who are you?"

"I'm Lavi…" Lavi said, a little nervous at all the people staring at him. The Prince looked around and seemed to get why.

"Hey, why don't you all head to the palace now? I'll come by later," the Prince said, looking to his entourage.

People looked around a little nervously before one of the dukes stepped up and said.

"All right, you heard his Majesty," the Duke said, moving everyone along. "Civilians back to your homes and jobs, everyone else, let's do as the Prince said!"

Everyone began to groan and moan but did as they were told. Lavi tried to slip away with his step family, but was held back by the Prince.

"Where do you think you're going?" the Prince asked, holding on to Lavi's wrist.

"Um… well, I was going to go home with my family…" Lavi said but stopped himself when he saw the look in the Prince's eyes. "Or I could stay here…?"

"That's better," the Prince said with a smirk, letting go of Lavi's wrist.

Lavi and the Prince waited till everyone was gone. And it didn't take very long either. The entire road was cleared away in a matter of minutes. Very soon, the two were alone, and it created an awkward silence.

"Um… so, you're Majesty…" Lavi said, trying to start a conversation. "Um… why did you want to see me alone…?"

"Well, I guess I feel bad for you," the Prince said a little shyly. "I mean, I know how you feel, being with family that you can't stand; a family that treats you like a slave… I can comiserate."

"Really?" Lavi asked incredulously. "I mean, you're a prince, you're supposed to be fawned over and swooned over by maids and such, right?"

"How many fairy tales have you read?" the Prince asked with a sweet laugh. He suddenly got more serious as he said, "I'm like a slave in my own house… Everyone's always telling me how to act and what to say. I'm able to go anywhere without my entire entourage following me… and all those diplomats asking me opinion on this and that when I really don't know what the hell they're asking… The palace life isn't all it's cracked up to be…"

"Yeah, I guess so…" Lavi said, knowing that he had heard those words somewhere before… "But still, it must be better then _my_ family… My parents left me with my grandpa, who's never around… and my stepmother and her children make me do everything and get nothing for it… I can't do anything or go anywhere either…"

"I guess we're in the same boat, huh?" the Prince asked, the smirk back on his face. He walked over to his horse and asked Lavi, "So, you ever ride a horse before?"

"Well… I watched my stepsister do it once…" Lavi said, walking up to the horse and gently petting it's side. "Then she got me on the horse and it bucked me off… I haven't been on one since, I'm too scared…"

"That sucks…" the Prince said. "It happened to me too, the first time I rode… But, my father told me that I needed to be brave and get back on, cause the longer I stayed off, the more scared I'd be."

"So, when was the next time you go back on?" Lavi asked, looking at the horse.

"The same day," the Prince said with a smirk. "It wasn't too bad the second time… You want to give it a try?"

"Wha…? Lavi asked, a little thrown off.

"Do you want to get back on a horse?" the Prince asked, looking at Lavi with the same smirk on his face.

"Um…. I don't know…" Lavi said, a little shy. "I'm a little nervous…"

"When did that incident happen again?" the Prince asked.

"Um… I was 7 I think…"

"And you're how old?"

"18…."

"I see… eleven years is a long time…" the Prince said. "Still, do you want to try?"

"Why are you being so insistent?" Lavi asked, a little peeved that the Prince would be pushing this so much.

"To be honest, I have no idea…" the Prince said, suddenly a solemn tome to his voice. "I guess it's because we're so alike… I'd hate to see someone like that scared… of anything…"

"Then I guess I can give it a try!" Lavi said with a smile on his face. "I mean, how hard could it be?"

"Well then, come on," the Prince said, mounting the horse. He extended his hand to Lavi to help him up, which the redhead took and mounted. "Now, I like to go fast, so hold on."

"Um… okay…" Lavi said, tentatively putting an arm around the Prince's waist.

The Prince took off at a lightning speed. It shocked Lavi at first, so much so that he had to grip tighter to the Prince just to stay on. The Prince just smirk and urged the horse faster.

"I told you to hang on!" he said over the wind.

"I know!" Lavi said, laughing slightly. "I guess my family is right in saying that I'm a dumb rabbit!"

"I guess so," the Prince said with a smirk. "Baka Usagi."

"Very mature," Lavi said with a half glare.

"Thanks," the Prince said, responding with a smirk.

* * *

**(1) **Trakehner: a type of black horse, veyr gracefull and very fast

anyways, enjoy ppls!!!! i WILL update In Synch soon, i have the next chapter written!! just give me some time and it WILL be up!!!

for now, enjoy Cinderella with a twist!!


	3. Riding Conflict

**A/N:** okay, here is chapter 3!!! *dance* i think this came out...all right.... i'm not really sure.... just decide for yourself!!!

**DISCLAIMER:** i do NOT own Cinderella, it belongs to Disney and whoever wrote it... D. Gray-Man belongs to Hoshino-sensei!

* * *

~ Chapter 3~

"Remind me to never ride with you again, Your Highness…" Lavi said, his eyes nigh but swirls.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't _that_ bad!" the Prince said, gesturing to a servant to bring out another horse. "Besides, you won't have to."

"Won't have to do what?" Lavi asked, his head still spinning.

"Ride with me again," the Prince said, pulling the second horse to Lavi. It was an Equestrian horse with tan fur and black main and black legs. Its tack** (1)** was regular leather and Lavi saw the Prince put his own horse in the regular leather tack. "And you can just call me Kanda."

"Wha…?" Lavi asked, a bit thrown back.

"I really don't want to hear and more 'your majesty's and 'your highness's. It's annoying and I'm called that enough," Kanda said, looking at Lavi with a face that was half pissed and half fed up. "Please, just call me Kanda."

"Okay, Your---" Lavi said before he cut himself off. "I mean, sure, Kanda!"

"Thanks," Kanda said with a smirk, handing the reins of the Equestrian to Lavi. "You ready?"

"Um… I guess," Lavi said, going up to the side of the horse.

"Her name is Cleopatra," Kanda said, gesturing to the Equestrian. He then turned to his own horse and said, "And this is Antony."

"I see, Cleopatra and Antony," Lavi said with a knowing smile. "These two like each other?"

"Inseparable since we got them," Kanda said, petting his own horse.

"That's so nice…" Lavi said with a smile, petting Cleopatra. He could feel Antony's hot breaths on his neck. "What is he doing?"

"I guess he's jealous," Kanda said with a half laugh. He pulled back on Antony's reins to pull the horse's head back and said, "That's enough, Antony." The horse just snorted. "So, Lavi, you ready?"

"Yeah," Lavi said, not at all sure how he should proceed. "Um… what do I do?"

"First, make sure you have both hands on the saddle, and hold on tight," Kanda said, putting Lavi's hands on both ends on the saddle. "Now, since your on her right side, put your right foot in the stirrup. Make sure your keep your right leg bent. Now, pull up and swing your left leg over."

Lavi tried to pull himself up and his hands slipped. He fell backwards, knocking himself and Kanda to the ground. He blushed like mad and got up, helping the Prince up as well.

"I'm SO sorry, Kanda!" Lavi said, breaking down.

"Hey, it's okay," Kanda said, brushing himself off. "I'm not hurt! No harm, no foul! Just try again."

"Alright…." Lavi said, wiping his hands off on his pants first before he gripped the saddle again. He put his foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself into the saddle, this time without falling over. "Hey! I got it!!"

"Knew you could," Kanda said, getting into his saddle in one fluid motion. "Now, do you know how to control the horse?"

"I have no idea…" Lavi admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"No problem," Kanda said, getting Antony closer to Cleopatra. "Look, you have to hold reins so that… well, let me show you."

Kanda took Lavi's hand and placed it on the reins, making sure that he held it correctly. He was gripping the reins with a fist, but his thumb and pinky finger were facing up to the sky and gripped on the opposite side from the rest of his fingers. It's hard to explain.

Lavi blushed madly as the Prince put his hands in the right positions. This boy, who was supposed to be royalty, was acting like a regular teenager! Was this _supposed_ to happen?

"You got it?" Kanda asked, snapping Lavi out of his stupor.

"Um… yeah, I think so…" Lavi said, adjusting his stirrups before they did anything else.

"Good," Kanda said, a slight smile on his face that disapeared in a second. "Now, when you want to horse to go to the right, you need to pull back and to the right, gently. Same thing for the left. You want to try to pull towards your shoulders and turn yourself to the side you want to go in, if that makes any sense… and when you want to stop, you need to pull—"

"Back, I know," Lavi said, cutting him off. "And say 'whoa'."

"Back and up," Kanda said sternly. "Now, to get her to walk—"

"I just say giddy up!" Lavi said with a smile.

"No, that's only in the movies," Kanda said sternly again. "You just need to give her a slight kick and snap the reins. No words necessary for just walking. It's when you want to put her in a trot or a canter that you need words."

"Trot and canter?" Lavi asked, a little confused.

"I'll explain it later," Kanda said flippantly, urging Antony into a walk. "Go on, give it a try!"

"Come on, girl," Lavi said, giving Cleopatra a slight kick in her side and a slight snap of the reins.

Cleopatra bucked up and started off in a run, bolting out of the small fenced off area. She jumped the low fence and started off into an open field.

"Damn it!" Kanda hissed, turning Antony around. "Let's go, boy!"

Kanda urged Antony into a canter **(2)** and running after Cleopatra. He jumped the fence with ease and made a beeline for the Equestrian.

He reached them in no time, but it looked like Lavi Was having the time of his life. He had the reins firmly in his hands, he was leaning over they horse, and he had the most devilish smile you will ever see.

"Kanda, this is GREAT!" Lavi screamed to that Kanda could hear him. "Man, I've never had this much fun in my life!!"

"Well then, you look like you have the hang of things!" Kanda said, seeing that Lavi was handling the horse with little effort.

"I never knew I could do this!!" Lavi screamed, letting go of the reins and throwing his arms back, screaming a loud 'woo hoo' into the sky.

"Grab the reins, Baka Usagi!" Kanda screamed, horror filling him when the redhead let go.

"Sorry!!" Lavi said with a laugh, grabbing the reins again.

"Let's see if you can keep up!" Kanda said, pulling back on the reins and having Antony make a sharp left turn.

Lavi did the same, keeping pace with the raven. And he continued to do this no matter how many obstacles Kanda put in front of him. He was determined to make this count, cause this might be his last time.

Finally, they got to where Kanda had wanted to get to, a large lake just outside the kingdom. There were close to fifty different varieties of wild flowers there, along with make weeping willows who's branches hung over into the lake.

"Wow, its so beautiful…" Lavi said in awe as he dismounted.

"It's called Star Lake," Kanda said absently as he took the bridle and reins off of Antony. "You should remove Cleopatra's bridle, it must be uncomfortable for her."

"Yeah…" Lavi said, taking off the bridle as best he could. "Um… hehe… I can't get it…"

"You really are a Baka Usagi, huh?" Kanda asked, helping Lavi remove the bridle. "It's not that hard…"

"Yeah, to someone who's been doing it for years…" Lavi mummbled.

"You say something?" Kanda asked, looking at Lavi with a confused expression on his face.

"Hm? On, no, nothing…" Lavi said, looking out at the lake.

Kanda just _che_-ed and walked to one of the weeping willows before sitting under it, leaning against the trunk. Lavi followed and sat next to him, though he was a little farther away then either would have liked. Little did Lavi know that they were already outside the kingdom. He sat with his knees pulled up to his chest and his head resting on his knees.

"Hey, Lavi?" Kanda asked in a small voice, so small that Lavi barely heard him.

"Yeah?" Lavi asked, looking to the raven with a curious stare.

"What…… what do you think of me?" Kanda asked shyly, not really looking at Lavi as he stared out at the lake.

"Well… I can't really say…" Lavi said thoughtfully. "I mean… we just met…"

"I mean, before, what did you think when you heard 'the Prince'?" Kanda asked a bit more urgently.

"Um… well…" Lavi said, a bit thrown back by the urgency in the raven's voice. "Whenever I heard people talk about you, the first things that came to mind were a snobby and stuck up prince who only cares about himself and couldn't give a crap about his kingdom as long as he was living in luxury…"

"More fairy tales?" Kanda asked with a slight chuckle.

"Not really…" Lavi said thoughtfully again, looking up at the clouds that passed over head in the midday sun. "My grandpa travels all the time, and he told me stories about royalty and nobility that acted like that…"

"What do you think of me now, though?"

"Well… I think that you're a nice guy who just wants to be a normal teenager…" Lavi said, seriously thinking. "You seem really nice, don't get me wrong… but…"

"But what?"

"You seem familiar… like I know you from somewhere but I can't place it…"

"Really? I guess it's a really common look…"

"Not really," Lavi said, looking at Kanda with a 'are you crazy' face. "Not many people here have dark blue eyes and long black hair. Hell, black hair is really rare to begin with!"

"Really? I didn't know that…" Kanda said with a sigh.

"You seem really detached from your people, Kanda," Lavi said, looking at Kanda with a sympathetic look in his eye. "Don't you ever get out?"

"I just came back, remember?" Kanda asked with a half laugh. "But whenever I leave the castle, my fan club attacks me, people will swoon over me, and I'll just end up running back to the castle in fear of my life…"

"That's tough, dude. But you really need to get out more. Staying in a stone castle all the time can't be good for you!"

"Yeah, I know… that's why I'll come out here sometimes. It's a great place to think…" Kanda said, shifting so that he could lie on his back. "Lenalee and I would come here all the time when we were kids…"

"Lenalee?" Lavi asked, choking on the name.

"My sister," Kanda said, a smirk coming to his face when he saw Lavi's jealous face.

"Oh… the Princess…"

"Yeah.. she has it worse then I do, though. She's not allowed out period. She can't even go out into the gardens…"

"That's really tough. I feel bad for you guys!"

"What about you? You said that you had an evil step family, right?"

"Well… yeah… I'm forced to do all the housework, even though it's more of my home then it is my stepmother's or stepsibling's. they treat me like a slave… and my stepmother, Klaud… she spends all the family's money on stuff for her kids… and any money that's left goes to money for food for them and the animals…"

"So she doesn't take care of you at all?" Lavi just shook his head solemnly. "That's terrible! I've seen real slaves that are treated better then that!"

"Yeah… I know… at least Allen is there to help me through…"

"Allen?" now it was Kanda's turn to choke.

"He's my best friend," Lavi said with a laugh, noticing the jealous tone in Kanda's voice. "His guardian, Cross Marian, treats him about the same…"

"Who are these people?!?"

"Very mean people who are complete and udder sadists!" Lavi hissed, the venom in his voice clearly visible.

"I'm sorry… I'm not sure what to do…" Kanda said, looking down at the ground. He felt so…. Useless.

"You're the heir to the thrown!" Lavi said with so much force, it made Kanda loose his balance. "You can make a change! When you become the king, you'll be able to change whatever you want!"

"But… I may not become king anytime soon…" Kanda said, just as his cell phone started to buzz. "God damn it, Lenalee…"

The text on the phone read: _"Where r u? there's going 2 b a masquerade ball 2night 4 u! get back 2 the palace!"_

"What did she say? If you don't mind saying…?"

"She just said that there's going to be a ball masquerade tonight for me.. probably for me return… Damn it… My father's going to want me to pick a bride at this ball too…"

"That sucks…" Lavi said, extremely forlorn.

"Do you want to come?"

The question caught Lavi off guard. Him? A commoner? At a ball? Is this for real?!!?

"To the ball?" Lavi asked, just to make sure that he heard right.

"No, to the market," Kanda said sarcastically. "Of course I meant to the ball! Would you like to come?"

"I don't know…" Lavi said hesitantly. "Klaud might not let me go… and besides, if it's a masquerade, then how would we know who the other is?"

"Hm…" Kanda said, thinking it over. His eyes fell on lotus floating in the water. He walked up to the bank and picked two small buds. He passed one to Lavi and said, "Wear this on your jacket. That way we'll know who's who."

"That's not a bad idea…" Lavi said, looking down at his old, worn suite. "But I'm not sure that there's any spot for it on this…"

"That's your only suit?" Kanda asked, a little confused.

"Yeah… Klaud forced me to wear it…" Lavi said, looking at the small bits of dirt on it from his falls. "It might not make a great impression…"

"Hmm… this is a bit of a dilemma…" Kanda not said, sitting back and thinking, not even seeing Lavi get very pissed very fast.

"I knew it!!" Lavi screamed, standing up quickly. "You ONLY care about your looks and your balls then you do anything else!! I knew it!!" Lavi turned on his heels and ran off to get Cleopatra.

"Lavi, wait!" Kanda called, running after the teen.

"Make me, Your Highness!" Lavi said in a mocking tone as he quickly bridled Cleopatra like he had been doing it all his life. He mounted her quickly and in a single fluid motion and urged her into a canter right away, going back to the castle.

Kanda was also got the bridle on Antony, mounted, and sped off after Lavi.

"Just wait a second!" Kanda screamed ahead to the redhead. Lavi didn't seem to hear or just ignored him as he continued on, making the horse go faster.

Kanda fumed and managed to get Antony faster, even if just slightly. He got right in front of Lavi and Cleopatra, making the Equestrian rear back, lest she run over her love. Lavi got thrown off the horse and landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him. Before Antony even came to a full stop, Kanda was already dismounting the stead and ran over to Lavi.

"Are you okay?" Kanda asked, the worry in his voice eminent.

"No thanks to you!" Lavi screamed, tears escaping his eye. "You KNEW that Cleopatra would throw me off when you pulled that stunt!"

"I needed to talk to you!" Kanda said harshly.

"So you almost kill me?!?!" Lavi screamed.

What he had said struck a cord in the raven. He knew that what he did was dangerous… but not lethal.

"Lavi, I'm sorry. Just tell me why you ran!" Kanda said, almost begging.

"I ran because my first impressions of you were right!" Lavi screamed, striking another cord. "You're only concerned about appearances, like every other monarch out there! You don't care at all about the person behind the clothes and make up, do you?!"

"How can you say that?!?!" Kanda screamed, feeling his heart ripping in two. "Of course I care! I told you more then I told even my own sister! I trust you!! How can you say I don't care!!"

"Because you think that me only owning one suit is a dilemma!!" Lavi screamed, mounting Cleopatra before Kanda could do anything and heading back to the castle. He put the horse in the stable and ran back home, crying.

* * *

**(1)** Tack: the words used to reffer to the bridle, reins, saddle, and any other things that are used to ride a horse

**(2)** Cantor: it's faster then a full run. hard to describe as it's the fastest the one can ill the horse to go.

also, with all the stuff that Kanda is teaching Lavi about mounting and riding a horse, i took horseback riding lessons about a year or two ago, so i know what i'm talking about!

anyway. the ending was kinda rushed.... my mom only gave me three minutes to finish so... ^^; it's not the best, but i didn't want to change it... Kanda was SUPPOSED to kiss Lavi in thi one under the tree, but the actors didn't cooperate with me! WHERE THE HELL ID THE SCRIPT?!!?

Lavi: Should we tell her?

Kanda: Nah... let's let her freak out. It'll pass...

Lavi: Okay then!! :D

Nana: *running around like a headless chicken*


	4. The Ball

**A/N:** wow, i think this is the longest chapter to date..... i worked ALL night on this!!! so, no sleep again!!!! enjoy!!!!!!!

**DISCLAIMER: **i do NOT own Cinderella, Disney does. i do NOT own D. Gray-Man, Hoshino-senei does!

* * *

~ Chapter 4 ~

"And _where_ have _you_ been?"

Lavi looked up, his eyes red and puffy from crying, to see his stepmother very pissed off. He knew that he had been out most of the day and didn't tell her where he was going. He was going to die…

"I was with the Prince," Lavi said, figuring that it would be better to tell the truth then to lie. This quickly got him a slap in the face.

"Don't make up such ridiculous tales!" Klaud scolded, ready to slap Lavi again. "Now, tell me the truth, where were you?!"

"I was wit the Prince! I'm telling the truth!!" Lavi screamed, getting another slap. "He even invited me to the ball tonight!"

"HA!" Klaud laughed loudly, startling her children. "_You?_ At the _ball?_ His Highness must have though it a practical joke!"

"He was completely serious!!" Lavi said, really pissed now.

"What would you say to him though?" Tyki asked, holding a broom in one hand. He turned to Road and said in a mocking tone, "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but could you hold my broom?"

The two siblings started laughing their heads off as they pretended to dance around the foyer. Their mother stopped them with her next words.

"Well, I guess you could come with us…" Klaud said in a voice that was far to sinister to be nice. "_If_ you get all your work done. And _if_ you find something suitable to wear…"

"Oh, I will!" Lavi said happily as he ran to do his chores.

"Mother! Do you have _any_ idea of what you just said?!" Road whined to her mother, hanging on Tyki's arm.

"Why yes," Klaud said with a sinister laugh. "I said _if_."

"If…" Tyki said, rolling the word over in his mouth a few times. "If is good…"

~*~

Lavi finished his massive amount of chores that day double quick. It only took him a few hours to do them, much to the dismay of his family. As soon as he got the chance to sit down and work on his outfit, his family called for him. They gave him piles upon piles of clothed to iron, wash and mend. They all figured that doing the stuff for their clothes, Lavi wouldn't be able to do his.

Well, Lavi was one step ahead of the game. When he put their clothes in the wash, he put his in with them. When he went to do the ironing for their clothes, he did his at the same time. And he didn't need to do any sowing on his clothes, but Tyki's and Road's were another story. Lavi only stitched on the lotus.

He finished with much time to spare and decided that while his family got their stuff in order, he would figure out something to do with his mop of hair. He dressed quickly and looked at himself in the mirror. He was going to see a prince, he needed to look presentable. So, he quickly washed his hair and dried it quickly, ran a brush though it, and made sure it lied flat. His end result was a very handsome young man, his red hair falling into his face, not enough to be obtrusive, but just enough to hide his eye patch, in a clean black suit with a flower on it. Yup, Lavi was ready to face royalty.

The doorbell rang just as Lavi finished. He rushed to a window to see the carriage waiting for them outside. He took the stairs three at a time as he ran to the foyer, only to see his step family there first.

"So, you actually found something…" Klaud said deadpan and glared at Lavi.

"Mother! You can't honestly let him come with us!" Road whined, pulling on her mother's skirt.

"Why not? After all, we did have a bargain…" Klaud said, walking up to Lavi. "This suit is… interesting. Wouldn't you say, Tyki?"

"I really don't—" Tyki said before he knew what his mother meant. "Why I do believe that's MINE, brat!"

Tyki walked over to Lavi and with a satisfied smirk, ripped the shirt right off, jacket and all. Road joined in the 'fun' and started to rip some more of poor Lavi's clothes.

"My, my, what a pretty flower…" Klaud said, picking up the still intact lotus. "I wonder who gave it to you…"

"Please, don't touch it!!" Lavi pleaded. But Klaud didn't listen to him and dropped the lotus on the floor and smashed it with her foot. Lavi became enraged, so much so that Road and Tyki let go of the flaming redhead. "YOU BITCH!"

Lavi couldn't find it in himself to hit a girl, and thus, he ran out to the back garden, crying his eyes out.

"Come along, children," Klaud said, a smirk on her face as she ushered her children out of the house. "We have a party to get to."

~*~

Kanda walked though the hallway about five minutes before the ball began. Every mirror he passed by, he had to stop to make sure he still looked presentable. What Lavi had said to him started to ring true and Kanda couldn't help but subconsciously do something to his outfit to make him less presentable, just to spite the rabbit, even though he would never know.

Truth be told, Kanda was nervous. He knew his father was going to make him choose a bride tonight. And he really didn't want to… now, how to get out of this and not attract any unwanted attention…

"Good evening, You Highness," one of the guards, Toma, said to Kanda as he passed the front entrance to the palace.

"Good evening, Toma…. What are those?" Kanda asked, seeing the flowers in small buckets near the door. Since many people had already arrived early, there were a few empty buckets with just water in them.

"They're flowers, Sire," Toma said, handing a flower to a person who entered.

"They're lotuses," Kanda said, pointing out the obvious.

"Yes, Sire, they're lotuses," Toma said with a smile. "His Grace, the King, said they were your favorite flower."

"Yes, but WHY hand them out?!" Kanda asked, not showing that he was panicking.

"It's just a flower, Your Highness!" Toma said in defense. "Please, relax!"

Kanda only _che_-ed and walked away. Once he rounded a deserted corner, he panicked. Lavi was supposed to wear a lotus so that he knew it was him! But… now thanks to his father's idiocy, he would never be able to tell! Well, Lavi did have red hair… so Kanda banked on their being no other redheaded males at the ball.

With newfound determination, Kanda slipped his mask on and stepping into the ball room. Immediately, his eyes feel on at least five other redheaded males.

_This… will be harder then I thought…_ Kanda thought with an audible sigh.

~*~

Lavi sat in the back garden, crying his eyes out. He would never be able to go to the ball now… he might never see Kanda again…

That he just couldn't bear. Lavi knew that they could never be together! They were both male, for one thing, and Lavi was a commoner and Kanda was royalty. This could never work…

"_Don't fret, child, everything will be alright!"_ a voice said to Lavi.

Lavi jumped off the bench he was sitting on and looked around wildly. His eye settled on bubbles that drifted through the air and all came to the same spot. Then, in a quick flash of light, a woman in a long blue cloak materialized. She had dark brown hair, tanned skin, and golden eyes.

"Who are you?" Lavi asked tentatively.

"Why, I'm Lulubell! I'm your fairy Godmother!" the woman said happily.

"I have a fairy Godmother?" Lavi asked, rubbing his eyes.

"That's right!!" Lulubell said in an overly happy voice. "And I'm here to see that you're wish is granted! I'm going to make sure you go to the ball!!"

"Okay…." Lavi said wearily. He was still a little unsure about all this… "But, how?"

"Why, magic, of course!" Lulubell said, waving her magic wand around.

Many wand waves and an overly corney song later, Lavi was all se to go to the ball. There was just one tiny problem. His clothes were still ruined.

"Um, Lulubell… I'd hate to be a bother, but could you please do something about my clothes?" Lavi asked, pointing to the clothes that his family so mercilessly shredded.

"Oh! Of course!! How silly of me!!" Lulubell said, waving her wand again.

She sang another verse of 'Bippity Boppity Boo' and Lavi's rags were gone. In their place was an immaculate white suite, trimmed in gold. It looked like an oriental shirt that you might see someone in China wearing. He also had a white mask, also in gold trim. Lavi was stunned. He had never dressed so well in his life…

"Thank you so much, Lulubell!" Lavi said, glomping his fairy Godmother. "And let me guess, midnight, right?"

"That's right, midnight!" Lulubell said with a smile. "Oh wait, I almost forgot." She pulled something silver out of her pocket and put it in Lavi's hand. "This was from your mother. She left it in my possession before she died. She wanted you to have it…"

Lavi lifted up the thin silver choker. Hanging from it was a small Yin and Yang pendent with a design around it that matched the ring left to him from his father. Lavi looked at the ring on his hand and then back to the pendant.

"Thank you so much, Lulubell," Lavi said, putting it on. It fit snuggle on his neck, like it was only ment for him to wear.

"You're welcome," Lulubell said, hugging Lavi quickly. "Now, you must leave now, or the ball will be over before you get there!"

"Right!!" Lavi said, jumping into the carriage. He called out of the window as he sped off, "THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, LULUBELL!!" but when he looked back, Lulubell was gone and bubbles were in her place.

~*~

Kanda let out a large yawn. He was forced to dance with every girl there, now he was sitting on his throne, bored to tears. Lavi still hadn't shown up… or he did and Kanda just didn't see him… or… DAMN IT! thinking about all the possibilities made Kanda's tired brain hurt.

"Hey, Yu!" Lenalee said, walking up to her brother. "Are you going to dance any more?"

"Not right now, Lenalee," Kanda said, stifling a yawn this time. "I'm waiting for someone…"

"Oh? And may I ask who?" Lenalee asked, sitting down next to her brother.

"Lavi…" Kanda said, scanning the crowd again.

"LAVI?!?" Lenalee said, shocked, with a gasp. "Allen mentioned that he had a best friend named Lavi!!"

"Allen?" Kanda asked. "Lavi mentioned that he had a best friend named Allen!"

"We must be thinking of the same Lavi then…" Lenalee mused. "I'm going to get Allen, I'll be right back!"

"O…kay…" Kanda said, not really sure what just happened.

He stifled another yawn as he heard a fanfare from the grand hall. He sat up straighter in his throne and looked out to the back to see who was here. People started to whisper and wondered who would show up to the ball this late…

Kanda got up and walked to the entrance to the ballroom, seeing Lavi there, but not knowing it was him.

"Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?" Kanda asked the mysterious man in white.

Lavi turned around and came face to face wit the prince. Of course he didn't know it was the prince.

"Oh, I'm nobody," Lavi lied, looking around. He spotted several heads of raven hair, and all of them had a lotus on their jackets. How the hell was he supposed to know which one was Kanda?

"Are you looking for someone?" Kanda asked, trying to be polite.

"Yes, actually…" Lavi said half heartedly as he wasn't really paying attention to this man.

"Well, I'm looking for someone too," Kanda said with a smirk. "SO, since your looking for someone, and I'm looking for someone, why don't we look together?"

"Yeah… I'd like that…" Lavi said with a smile.

"May I have this dance?" Kanda asked as the music came back on.

"Sure," Lavi said, still smiling. He didn't know why, but this man made him feel the same way he felt around Kanda… coincidence? Only when the author sets it up! *evil snicker*

The two walked out onto the dance floor with Lenalee and Allen not too far away. As they danced, Kanda held Lavi close to his body. He didn't know what this feeling was… but what ever it was, it felt right to him. And as for Lavi, let's just say he was a little too flustered to know what he was feeling.

Lenalee and Allen knew who they were the entire time. Lenalee because she's know her brother anywhere. And Allen because he could tell that the mop of red hair belonged to Lavi, no matter how nicely he was dressed.

"Who is that boy?" Tyki asked Klaud, a scowl on his face.

"Do we know him?" Road asked, very upset that the Prince was dancing with some strange boy.

"Well, the Prince seems to!" Tyki said, watching the two dance.

"Well, I've never seen him before…" Klaud said as the two passed. She saw the face, even under the mask and felt like she knew him. "Actually, he does seem familiar…

As the song ended, Kanda lead Lavi out to the garden. Every fan girl in the room squealed as a the entrance was blocked by a curtain.

"Hmm… I wonder…" Lavi mused aloud, looking at the night time sky.

"Wonder what?" Kanda asked, his curiosity peaked.

"I wonder where the Prince is…" Lavi mused, looking at Kanda.

"Why would you want to know that?" Kanda asked, making a slight coughing noise.

"Because… I'm just curious," Lavi said, changing his mind at the last second.

"Oh… well, curiosity did kill the cat…" Kanda mussed,

"Then it's a good thing I'm a rabbit, then, huh?" Lavi said with a smile.

"A… Rabbit…?" Kanda asked, a little shocked.

"Yeah, I have a few friends that call me a rabbit sometimes…." Lavi said with a laugh. "I guess it fits, huh?"

"Yeah…" Kanda said, mulling over what just happened.

His mind was such a blur. He couldn't think straight. So, it was no wonder that with his clouded mind that he did what he did next.

Kanda leaned over and lightly kissed Lavi on the lips.

Lavi was shocked beyond all belief. Once he got over the initial shock of the kiss, he kissed him right back. He teased at he bottom of the raven's lips, asking them to part. Kanda did so gladly and forced his tongue into Lavi's mouth. Their tongues danced together in heated passion.

Just then, the clock chimed midnight. Lavi jumped back in shock and stared at the clock for a second before beginning his run.

"Wait, please wait," Kanda said, grabbing his wrist.

"Please. I must leave!" Lavi said. Wrenching his wrist away and running out.

"But I don't even know your name! Where will I find you?!" Kanda called out, but it was in vain. Lavi was already out the doors. "Somebody stop him!"

"Stop that boy!" the duke called out, "Close the gates!!"

But Lavi was already in his carriage and beyond the gates. The royal guard was sent out and the gates were open again.

Lavi was already back to his house, or very close to it, when the clock let out the final stroke of midnight. Everything turned back to what it was before. Lavi let out a sigh of relief that it was all over. He raised a hand to feel the choker and realized that it must have fallen off during his escape. He cursed himself for being so careless with his mother's gift.

Lavi shook it off and went inside, up to his room, and slept with pleasant dreams.

~*~

"Your Highness…" the duke said quietly, afraid of encurring the wrath of the Prince.

"Did you find him?!" Kanda snapped, turning with his prized possession, Mugen. At the duke's throat.

"Well, you see, Your Majesty…" the duke began, pushing the blade away. "He got away…"

"He what?" Kanda asked, not sure if he heard right.

"He got away… but he left this behind!" the duke said, holding up Lavi's choker. "It looks custom made, maybe it only fits him?"

"Really now…" Kanda mussed, picking up the choker and eyeing the pendant. He thrust it back into the duke's hands and said, "Tomorrow you will try this on every teenager in the kingdom, gender regardless. And if one fits, that's the one I'll marry."

"But what if it ends up fitting a male?" the duke asked in shock.

"Hmpf. Even better," Kanda said, returning to look out the window. He then said to the wind, "Where are you…?"

* * *

okay, definately my longest chapter......

again, stayed up most of the night typing it... AND i rewrot the whole scene in the garden.... they were SUPPOSED to find out that they were who they are and then fall into the fountian making out! but, once again, the actors did NOT listen to me and thus....... yeah....

anyways, R&R like usual....


	5. His bride?

**A/N:** finally, chapter 5!!! woot!! anyway, i had this some time ago and just felt like putting it up tonight since i can't sleep..... anyways, enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** if i owned d. gray-man, there would have been TONS more yaoi!  


* * *

~ Chapter 5 ~

"How in the world will I tell the king about this…?"

The duke paced nervously in front of the king's room. He was nervous as hell. The king warned him that if anything went wrong, it would be his head…

"Um… Your Majesty…?" the duke asked, walking into the room.

"Ah! Daisya! How did it go?" King Tiedoll asked, pulling the duke into a chair. "So, did the boy propose to someone already? What about that boy he was dancing with earlier? Who is he? Where did he come from? Are they in love?"

"Um, Sire…" Daisya tried to say.

"Well, there's so much to do!" Tiedoll said, lighting a cigar. "There are plans, invitations, a national holiday…"

"Sire…" Daisya said, trying to cut in again.

"And for you, my friend," Tiedoll said, pulling out his sword. Daisya panicked and got down on his knees, ready to beg. "A knighting. What title would you like?"

"Sire, he got away," Daisya finally got out.

"Sir He Got Away… a strange tit…le… HE WHAT?!!?!" Tiedoll screamed, his face red from anger.

"Sire, remember, your blood pressure!!" Daisya said as he narrowly avoided the sword and hiding behind a chair

"TRAITOR!!" Tiedoll screamed, slashing the top of the chair Daisya was behind. "SABATOGE!!!"

"No, Your Highness!!" Daisya said, circling around a table with the King trying to kill him.

"You were in league with the Prince all along!!" Tiedoll screamed, still trying to hack Daisya to pieces.

"You're Highness, please!" Daisya screamed, jumping back onto the giant bed and got practically catapulted up, as if the bed were a trampoline. Tiedoll jumped onto the bed as well, still trying to kill the defenseless duke.

"You planned it!!" Tiedoll screamed, taking a slice of the air as he passed Daisya, Tiedoll going up and Daisya going down.

"But Your Majesty!" Daisya said as he went back up. "He loves him! GAH! He determined to marry him!! the only clue we have is this choker!" Daisya held up the choker as he flew up and got hooked on the chandelier on the ceiling with Tiedoll not far behind. "He said that he'd marry the man who fit this!!"

"He said _that_, did he?!?" Tiedoll exclaimed in sudden joy, accidentally slicing the cord that held the chandelier. The both fell back to the bed and made a rather large hole in it.

"But, Your Highness, this choker could fit any number of people!!" Daisya said, trying to be rational.

"So? That's his problem!" Tiedoll said, kissing the pendant. "The boy gave his word, didn't he?"

"Well, yes, Sire, but—" Daisya was cut off when Tiedoll put the sword in his face.

"There are no buts about it!" Tiedoll yelled. "Tomorrow you will try this on every teen in this kingdom! And if the choker fits," he began to slide the sword under Daisya's nose and said in a sinister voice, "bring 'em in…"

~*~

"LAVI! LAVI WHERE ARE YOU?!?!" Klaud screamed, walking up the main staircase.

"I'm right here," Lavi said, walking out of the kitchen.

"And where are my children?" Klaud snapped, not in the mood for this.

"I think they're still in bed…" Lavi said, very unsure. It was still early…

"Well, bring up the breakfast trays, then!!" Klaud screamed, storming up the stairs to wake up her children.

Lavi, very confused, started breakfast. He got everything on trays and took them upstairs right in the middle of Klaud's tirade.

"…Not even the Prince knows who that boy was! The only clue was a choker necklace that was left behind. The Prince is determined to marry this boy, who the hell knows why. But, the Grand Duke has been searching all night for this boy. And when they find him, by the King's command, that person shall be the Prince's bride!"

"His bride…" Lavi said with a dreamy look in his eyes. He was so spaced out that he dropped the tray and broke the dishes and cups on it.

"You clumsy boy! Clean that up!" Klaud snapped, turning back to her children, who were still a little shocked.

"His bride?!?!?!" they both screamed at once.

Road immediately jumped out of bed, nearly ran over Tyki, and started to pull clothes out of the closet. She began to throw the clothes on the tray, shouting things for Lavi to do with them. Of course, he was too spaced out to know what was going on.

"What's wrong with him?" Tyki asked, waving a hand in front of Lavi's face.

"Who knows?" Road said, very upset. "Hey, Lavi baka! Come on, we need to get dressed!!"

"Oh, right…" Lavi said, looking down at his own patched clothing. He handed the pile of clothes off the Tyki and said in a dreamy voice, "It would do nothing for the Duke to see me like this…. I… I have to change clothes…"

"Did you see that, Mother?" Tyki asked, very appalled.

"Yes… I did," Klaud said with a suspicious tone of voice. She followed Lavi as he went to the door to his tower. Lavi was humming the waltz from the ball, the waltz that he and the Prince danced to. Klaud's eyes narrowed to slits.

She followed Lavi up to his room. Of course, him being the baka usagi that he is, didn't notice. He didn't notice, that is, until Klaud took a key and locked to the door from the inside and pulled it shut.

"NO!" Lavi screamed, pulling at the door. "Please, let me out!! Please… let me out…"

~*~

"Look, the Duke is coming!" Klaud said about half an hour later. She turned away from the window in the parlor and ran to the foyer.

Tyki and Road followed, straightening out their clothes as they went. Klaud opened the door only to be met with a very loud and annoying horn in her face.

"Announcing his Royal Highness Prince Kanda and the Grand Duke Daisya," the page said in a very high pitched and annoying voice.

"The Prince in here?" Lavi asked himself after hearing the annoying man from downstairs. "Man, I need to get out of here! But how…?"

"Your Majesty," Klaud said with a deep bow. "It's an honor." She gestured to Tyki and Road and said, "These are my two children, Tyki and Road."

"Your Grace," Road said with a very squished face.

Daisya and Kanda both visible shuddered.

"Won't you please come in," Klaud said with her Colgate Smile as she lead the Prince and Duke in.

"His Grace will now read the Royal Proclamation!" the page said again, blowing his horn and handing Daisya a piece of paper, which he promptly began to read from.

"A Proclamation… then I still have time…" Lavi said to himself. He looked out the window and saw an at least fifty foot drop. "Nonono…" Lavi said, backing away. "But there has to be a way… there just has to be…"

"Hey, Lavi!"

Lavi got an evil idea…

~*~

Daisya just finished the proclamation as Lavi put his plan into action. He and Kanda both stifled yawns.

"You look dreadfully tired, Your Excellencies. Please, why don't I pour you some tea?" Klaud asked, moving for the tea cups.

"No thank you," Kanda said, holding in another yawn. "We really must proceed with the fittings."

"Of course, Your Highness," Klaud said, pushing Road forward.

"Your Majesty," Road said with a deep curtsy.

"Daisya, please proceed," Kanda said, leaning against the wall.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Klaud said with a laugh.

"Up your ass…" Daisya murmured.

"Please, take a seat Your Majesty," Klaud said, gesturing to a chair.

"No thank you," Kanda said, crossing his arms, "I'll stand."

"Well, if you're sure…" Klaud said, a little confused.

"I'm sure," Kanda said as he saw a flash of red by the window. He then said absently, "Um, excuse me for just a minute, I need some air…"

"Of course," Klaud said with a bow as she went to open the door.

"Thanks," Kanda said as he walked towards where he saw the red, moving faster once the door was closed. He rounded a corner and was meet with a mop of fire red hair in his face.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!!" Lavi said, pulling away before he saw _who_ bumped into. Then, he saw it was Kanda and flipped out saying, "Oh, Your Majesty! I'm terribly sorry!!"

"Lavi, are you feeling okay?" Kanda asked, a little concerned.

"I'm fine, Your Highness," Lavi said, not making eye contact and backing away slowly. "Please, just ignore me…"

"Lavi, just quit it already!" Allen said from behind him, a very annoyed look on his face.

"But—" Lavi said before he was cut off.

"No buts!" Allen scolded, pushing Lavi towards Kanda. "Just go!" And with that, Allen rounded another corner of the house and disappeared from site.

"What was that?" Kanda asked, a very pissed look written clearly across his face.

"I'm sorry… just here…" Lavi gestured to where he was. "I'm a bit of a slave…"

"So _that_ was the evil step family you talked about…"

"Yeah… that's them…" Lavi said, just as he saw Klaud look right in his direction. She saw him. He panicked. "Shit, Kanda, I need to run, now!"

And with that, Lavi took off. Kanda was just sick and tired of people running off on him lately, thus, he followed the red headed rabbit.

Then it was chaos. Tyki was chasing Road, who was chasing Daisya, who was chasing Klaud, who was chasing Kanda, who was chasing Lavi, who was chasing Allen. There was much shouting, screaming, and cats meowing during this little chase. But eventually, Lavi turned onto an alleyway and lost all but one of them.

"GAH!" Lavi cried as he ran right into Kanda and fell back on his arse.

"Clumsy Baka Usagi," Kanda said, offering Lavi a hand. Lavi took the hand and Kanda helped the rabbit to his feet. "What were you doing?"

"I… Klaud locked me in my room—not sure why though—and when she saw me… well, I really didn't want to die an early death, so to speak…" Lavi said hesitantly. He was leaning against a wall with the Prince very close in front of him.

"So you ran?" Kanda asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah…" Lavi said, looking at the ground. "I guess I really am a rabbit, huh?"

"You got that right," Kanda said, his eyes now slits.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I have to go," Lavi said, pushing off the wall.

He got the shock of his life when instead of being allowed to leave, Kanda pushed him right up against the wall, their bodies pressing tightly together. Kanda cupped Lavi's cheek in his hand, brushing it back till it was on the back of his neck. Then, very quickly, Kanda pulled Lavi into a heated kiss. His free hand snaked it's way around Lavi's waist as he teased the redhead's lips. Lavi was pulled back into reality with this and parted his lips for Kanda and wrapped his arms around the raven's neck. Kanda dove into Lavi's mouth, having the same feeling from the night before.

Then they heard something break not too far away from them.

They both pulled away and Lavi gasped.

Daisya had apparently tripped on something, making the choker in his hands fly away from him and smash on the ground into a million pieces. Lavi pulled away from Kanda immediately and ran over to his mother's necklace, starting to cry.

"No… why did this…? And to my mother's necklace…" Lavi choked out, kneeling beside the broken glass.

"So… this was your mothers?" Kanda asked, kneeling beside Lavi and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah…" Lavi said, still crying.

"Wait a minute," Kanda said, his mind having an epiphany. "If this is yours… then that means that…"

"What?" Lavi asked, his mind taken from the necklace for just a second.

"That you were the boy from last night!" Kanda cried happily.

"What?!" Lavi asked in shock.

"You were the boy who arrived late at the ball!" Kanda said, shaking Lavi's shoulders slightly. "I knew I recognized that mop of red hair from somewhere!"

"Your Majesty, be reasonable," Daisya said, placing a hand on Kanda's shoulder. "It's impossible. Every person who saw that boy last night would say that he was aristocracy. This boy here… clearly is not…"

"He… he's right, Your Highness…" Lavi said with a defeated sigh. "I didn't go to the ball last night…"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Klaud said, thinking on his feet. "Anyone could claim that the choker was theirs. Besides, Lavi never left the house."

"I…" Kanda began with a defeated sigh. "I guess your right…"

"Come, Your Highness, let's head back," Daisya said, helping Kanda to his feet.

"Yeah…" Kanda said, his head in the clouds.

They all said their farewells as Kanda and Daisya headed back to the carriage. Kanda was very out of it. his mind was still piecing together the puzzle pieces. And what a complicated puzzle it was… He knew that it was Lavi at the ball, he just had this gut feeling. But Lavi had an air tight alibi…

"Kanda?"

Kanda was pulled back down to earth at the sound of Daisya's voice. He looked over in the Duke's direction with an inquisitive face.

"Are you okay?" Daisya asked in a worried voice, feeling Kanda's forehead. "You seem a little warm. Do you have a fever?"

"No… no, I'm fine…" Kanda said, lazily swatting the hand away.

"You sure? You seem really out of it…"

"I just…." Kanda sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know that it was Lavi at the ball… I just have this gut feeling… I just… I don't know what to do anymore…"

"You really like this guy, don't you?" Daisya asked with a knowing voice.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, very."

"I've got it bad, don't I…?"

"Worse then you know, My Prince. Worse then you know…"

* * *

well, chapter 5 is done!!! FEW!!! man, this was long............. welp, R&R as usual and enjoy!!


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